At a glance the quick version
FCI and UKC give no weight; Purina UK gives 27-47.5 kg overall.
Coat and looks how to spot one
thick double coat
A sturdy, slightly long-bodied polar spitz with a broad wedge-shaped head, small triangular ears and a bushy tail rolled over the back. A soft woolly undercoat sits beneath a straight, coarse, water-repellent outer coat.124
Personality what they are like
Energetic, bold and mentally tough, with seemingly endless endurance. It is friendly with people, including strangers, which makes it a poor guard dog but a sociable companion, and it has a strong independent streak.143
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Very high: two hours or more daily plus mental work. Sledding, bikejoring and canicross suit its pulling instincts.31
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Brush thoroughly several times a week, daily during the seasonal coat blow when a shedding rake helps.3
Home where they are happiest
Made for cold climates; happiest with lots of outdoor space and an owner experienced with sled breeds.13
Company who they like around
A pack dog that works in teams; responds best to calm, positive training and early socialisation.34
The story where it all began
The Thule people brought these dogs from Siberia into Greenland about 1,000 years ago, and for centuries they were the Inuit's only sledge dogs for travel and hunting. Roald Amundsen relied on them with great success in his Antarctic expedition of 1912.213
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
The pale shoulder marking called the 'úlo' is named after a traditional Greenlandic woman's knife of the same shape.2
- 2
Its lineage has been linked to 9,500-year-old dog remains from Zhokhov Island in Siberia.2
- 3
In much of Greenland north of the Arctic Circle, bringing in other dogs is banned to protect the breed.2
- 4
When resting it often curls up with its bushy tail over its nose.2
Recognised by the official bits
- FCI
- Standard No. 274, Group 5 (Spitz and primitive types), sledge dog; current standard dated 30 Mar 20221
- The Royal Kennel Club
- Recognised 1880; first shown in Britain in 18752
- UKC
- Recognised 1 Jan 1996, Northern Breed Group4
- Dansk Kennel Club
- Breed standard holder2
How many about 12,000 in Greenland2
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Greenland Dog. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Brushingevery week
- Bathevery 8 weeks
- Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery month
- Ear checkFloppy ears trap moisture, so check and dry themevery week
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
- ExerciseDaily walks and playevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 7every year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FCI-Standard N° 274 fci.beused for history, size, coat, colour, temperament
- Wikipedia: Greenland Dog en.wikipedia.orgused for other names, history, recognition, population, facts
- Purina UK: Greenland Dog purina.co.ukused for weight, lifespan, exercise, grooming
- UKC Greenland Dog ukcdogs.comused for recognition, temperament, coat
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.